Terminology guidelines to support WaterAid’s equality, inclusion and rights framework

Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and positioning of men and women rather than the biologically determined differences of sex in a given society at a specific time and place. [...] They are usually unequal in terms of power, freedom, agency and status as well as access to and control over entitlements, resources and assets.26 The differences between sex and gender are outlined in the table below27. [...] Sex Gender Sex refers to the physical and biological Gender refers to the socially constructed roles characteristics, such as external and internal of men and women, and the relationships reproductive sex organs, a person is born with. [...] It is a result of heteronormativity, the assumption that all people are (or should be) heterosexual and gender is binary, consequently implying that other sex or gender constructs are deviant and inferior.32 Hence, people around the world still experience social, political and legal discrimination, stigma and violence based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. [...] Ultimately, it is good practice to mirror the terminology each individual utilises to describe themselves.41 In the Global South, a wide range of forms of identity are apparent, some of which do not separate gender and sexual identities in the way that is taken for granted in the Global North.